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Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology
2018 Army Acquisition Executive’s (AAE) Excellence in Leadership Award
LOGISTICIAN OF THE YEAR
Administrative Information
Nominating Organization
Organization’s Name: Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems Mailing Address: 6501 East 11 Mile Road
Address (continued): Bldg 229; MS 505 City: Warren State: MI Zip: 48397-5000
Primary Point of Contact
Name: Kim Catrinar Title: PEO GCS Human Capital Project Officer
Telephone: 586.282.0593 E-mail: [email protected]
Name, Grade, and Position Title of Nominee
Name: Michelle Link Grade: NH-IV
Title: Logistics Assistant Program Executive Officer, Ground Combat Systems E-mail: [email protected]
Award Narrative
Specific achievements: Ms. Michelle Link represents the best in the logistics field for the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology (ASA(ALT)). She is a strong candidate for the 2018 Army Acquisition Executive’s (AAE) Excellence in Leadership Award, Logistician of the Year. In her role as Assistant Program Executive Officer for Logistics (APEO LOG), Ground Combat Systems (GCS), Michelle has served as the lead system integrator and fielding coordinator for the build of the Army’s newest 15th and 16th Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs). The establishment of the new ABCTs is considered one of the Chief of Staff of the US Army’s priority. This effort included coordination with over 27 different stakeholder agencies, the principles being Army Materiel Command, Army Sustainment Command, Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA) G4, G8, G3/5/7, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) and US Army Forces Command. Ms. Link personally oversaw the execution of over $113 million dollars dedicated towards the maintenance and fielding efforts for the 15th ABCT, resulting in the successful fielding of 87 Abrams Tanks, 138 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and all associated support equipment, in a period of less than 12 months. Concurrently, she is overseeing the execution of over $266 million dollars for the build and fielding of the 16th ABCT scheduled to be complete by FY2019. Her efforts for these two activities have been instrumental in bringing an increased combat capability to the Department of Defense. Value of the nominee’s contributions during the award period to the mission of one’s organization in supporting one or more of the ASA(ALT)’s priorities: The value of Ms. Michelle Link’s contributions to mission of the ASA(ALT)’s priorities are unrivaled and can be summarized in her ability to lead a cohesive team to quickly deliver a capability to the Soldier. Michelle continuously strives to reduce barriers to acquisition streamlining that allow for getting increased capability to the Soldier as evident in her ability to convert an infantry unit to an armored unit in under 12 months. She’s a true leader to her team and a professional with high-regard and great composure allowing her to quickly support senior leader engagements in a moment’s notice. Her astute knowledge of the Army’s organizational construct, give her the ability to quickly task organize cross organizational and multi-functional teams to tackle some of the Army’s most complex Logistical Challenges, hence the reason Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA) and other entities have come to her to prove out new logistic systems or to lead key modernization activities. As a leader and with complete know-how for developing cohesive teams, Ms. Michelle Link has totally restructured the APEO Logistics team of PEO GCS in order to provide a streamlined - comprehensive oversight and assistance to the integrated product support elements for the command. She operationalized her section’s requirements and put the right skillsets in place that ensure the PEO is equipped to support six subordinate Project Offices’ and 12 Product Office logistics needs as well as providing support to our higher HQ at ASA(ALT). Notably, she added Logistics Audit, property accountability, focused readiness, and fielding to her teams repertoire. Her efforts in these areas of improvement with highly competent team members, have led to PEO GCS being selected by ASA(ALT) to pilot the Logistics Modernization Program (LMP), an Enterprise Resource Planning system that builds, sustains, and generates warfighting capabilities using one of the largest, fully-integrated supply chain and maintenance, repair, and overhaul
solutions in the world. She and her team have also been identified as the principle PEO to operationally test the warehouse and maintenance module of Defense Property Accountability System (DPAS). Additionally, her team, under her guidance, has increased property accountability and audit readiness across the PEO by over 65% in the last 12 months, leading all of ASA(ALT) in property accountability and audit readiness. Demonstration of leadership: A natural leader, Michelle is able to effortlessly organize cross-functional teams. She is sought out as a mentor by many professionals, from many functional areas and organizations. Michelle was handpicked to participate in the first ever TACOM Lifecycle Management Command (LCMC) event, “Women in Leadership” event. A special event as a member on a panel of women leaders from industry and defense to discuss challenges of being part of, developing, and supporting a diverse workforce. Her participation on the panel was revered and provided TACOM LCMC team members at all levels with guidance for dealing with several different challenges that they may face in order to be better professionals and enhance their teams’ ability to conduct day-to-day business. Ms. Link’s reputation for getting results on challenging activities within her prevue, to include the 15th and 16th ABCT effort, is why HQDA chartered her and her team to draft a Department of the Army (DA) Executive Order (EXORD) outlining stakeholder responsibilities and milestones for a two year, approximately $370 million dollar project that will enable echelons above brigade (EAB) to meet current theater of operational requirements. Logistician specific criteria: Ms. Link’s leadership and guidance has resulted additional combat capability for Soldiers delivered in a minimal amount of time providing the US Army with the necessary advantages to compete against adversaries in the current threat environment. Further, her strategic partnerships allow for increased system readiness within ABCTs and throughout the US Army’s theaters of operation. Ms. Michelle Link is also the PEO GCS project lead on a HQDA directive for the refurbishment of 304 M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle - Operation Desert Storm (ODS) to support the EAB engineer requirement. In quick response to the US Army’s needs, Ms. Link established a team of individuals from disparate organization to gain efficiencies. Under Ms. Link’s leadership, she laid out a plan to that resulted in cutting costs in half and reduced timeline for EAB fieldings from five years to less than two years for getting refurbished vehicles configured to meet the required capabilities for EAB units in order to fully support the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT). Ms. Michelle Link serves as the logistics product expert in the PEO. She has personally directed the development and execution phases for two Operation Sustainment Reviews (OSR). The outcome of the M88 HERCULES (Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lifting Extraction System) OSR has led to significant changes in the sustainment path forward for this critical combat multiplier. The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition Policy & Logistics) (DASA-APL) categorized the M88 OSR as the best OSR to date and the benchmark for other PEOs to emulate.
PROPOSED Award Citation 200 word maximum award citation. This does not count toward the two-page limit.
For exceptionally meritorious achievement while serving as the Logistics Assistant Program Executive Officer, Ground Combat Systems from 1 August 2017 through 31 July 2018. Ms. Michelle Link has distinguished herself by leading a team of logistics professionals in the efforts that have had significant impact on the Army’s readiness to respond to the current threat environment. Her contributions and leadership as the lead fielding coordinator for the 15th Armored Brigade Combat Team has resulted in the successful fielding of the 15th Armored Brigade Combat Team. Ms. Link was instrumental in the execution of over $113 million dollars towards maintenance and fielding efforts lead to a successful fielding in 12 months, Soldiers now have increased combat capability for an advantage on the battlefield. Ms. Link continuously strives for the highest of standards to provide the world's best combat systems and support to meet current and future Army needs. Ms. Michelle Link’s achievement reflect great credit upon herself, the Program Executive Office, Ground Combat Systems, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology) and the United States Army.
